Catfight: Rivalries Among Women--From Diets to Dating, from the Boardroom to the Delivery Room

by Leora Tanenbaum

Book Overview

Women often behave toward one another in sneaky, underhanded, ruthlessly competitive ways. Catfight is a remarkably researched and insightful foray into the American woman's world of aggression, rivalry, and competition. Tanenbaum draws on real-life examples and the most important studies to date in psychology, human aggression, psychoanalytic theory, and social movements to uncover the pressures that leave women regarding one another as adversaries...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060528389
• ISBN13: 9780060528386
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.3" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

beautifully written and based on sound research

Tannenbaum does an excellent job exploring and explaining the basis for women's rivalries. As a woman, I found myself nodding my head repeatedly as I read. As a female physician and mother, I, like most women, have experienced many of the phenomena that Tannenbaum describes. Tannenbaum has exhaustively researched every aspect of her book, and thoroughly supported virtually every statement within. Catfight serves not only as an excellent reference and review of feminist literature, but also as an enlightening, entertaining read.

WHAT THE PRESS IS SAYING ABOUT "CATFIGHT"

"Engrossing." -- The New York Observer"CATFIGHT represents an important wave of feminist literature... offering valuable, multilayered, introspective, and solidly researched insight into [important] societal questions. The strength of [Tanenbaum's] very original criticism and approach is to illuminate how women experience competition in different areas of life and with different intensities than men do." -- The Chicago Tribune"Fascinating, chatty." -- New York Post"A thoughtful and thoroughly engaging writer, Tanenbaum offers not cold sociological interpretation, but earnest encouragement. CATFIGHTT addresses...the heavyhearted suspicion that the same feminist battles we've been fighting for years could well go on forever. There's a lot of bravery here; the book will surely prompt conversations between women and take some of the taboo out of the subject of competition." -- Women's Review of Books"[CATFIGHT's] approach to the contradictions between feminist rhetoric and women's real experiences is sure to attract even more attention for this fast-rising social critic." -- Publishers Weekly"Tanenbaum's inquiry...blends well-documented research, interviews, and personal reflection in a lively, accessible style." -- Library Journal"Tanenbaum relates her own experiences and interviews a variety of women and psychologists to explore the seemingly eternal adversarial relationships that exist among women despite many recent feminist gains." -- Booklist"Tanenbaum's prose is provocative.... She succeeds beautifully at getting women to think about the role competition plays in their daily lives." -- San Francisco Bay Guardian"Tanenbaum's best when grappling with the conflicting demands of work and children. She describes the isolation of motherhood with particular care." -- Village Voice"CATFIGHT is an incisive exploration of a long-taboo subject--how and why women sabotage one another. Tanenbaum is a witty young woman, wise beyond her years. Her insights and lively stories explain the essence of women's resentment of other women; how to spot sabotage by the Other Woman; why rape victims are often disbelieved even by women friends; and much more. Since competition is a learned behavior, not innate, Tanenbaum is able to guide us toward healthy competition. CATFIGHT will prompt women to confront--and cure--their own feelings of competitiveness." -- Gail Sheehy

A Must Read For All Women

I read Tannenbaum's book cover to cover in one sitting. I found myself calling female friends and family to read parts of the book to them. This is new stuff...Competition is an old subject but Tannenbaum has highlighted so elequently the competition that exists between all women. Today I went out into my normal day to day activities and witnessed and observed myself in at least 15-20 competitive situations. This was a mirror for myself and should be a mirror for all women to see a reflection of what we are doing to one another. It's keeping us all down to behave in this way. There is so much truth to this books it's impossible to describe in 1000 words.. It's a must read for all women. I know I will begin to change my behaviour immediately! I thought this was about other women but it's about me too. Darn!Thank you Leora...